Vince McMahon Would Have Made Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Close Friend His Hulk Hogan if It Wasn’t for Vince McMahon Sr

WWE Universe currently mourns the loss of its “Superstar”. It’s been two days since iconic pro wrestler Superstar Billy Graham left the world for a heavenly abode, aged 79. Before this unfortunate news came in, the wrestling world was already sending prayers for the legend amid his compounding illness. However, now, one of the primary topics of discussion is the legacy he left behind and the untold stories from his past. 

One such discussion, which involved Graham’s memoir co-author, Keith Elliott Greenberg, revealed a lot about the legend and Vince McMahon. It not only showed how big of a superstar Graham was, but also what more he could have been.

Unheard story from Billy Graham’s past involving the huge role of Vince McMahon

Speaking on the Busted Open Radio, Greenberg divulged how Graham could have filled the role that Hulk Hogan played in WWE’s expansion. This was a strong belief by Vince McMahon. However, things didn’t go as planned. 

He said, “Vince McMahon Jr. had told me that had he been in charge and not his father in 1978, he would have acquiesced to Superstar Billy Graham’s demand. And in Vince McMahon Jr.’s words, ‘He would’ve been my Hulk Hogan.’ So it was that close.” 

All this goes back to the time when Graham appealed to Vince McMahon Sr. for a babyface turn and to not lose the title to Bob Backlund. Unfortunately, the latter didn’t approve of it. Graham later stated this was a contributor to his depression, and he left WWE in December 1978. 

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It was a difficult phase for Graham, but he managed to come out of it and returned to WWE in 1982. However, Greenberg also shed light on the legend’s character, which was a result of the mental issues he was going through at the time. 

Superstar Billy Graham’s return to WWE in 1982 in an entirely new look

On the podcast, Graham’s memoir co-author highlighted the enormous change that happened to the legend after his mental health issues.

Greenberg said, “I believe, and I think that he would have concurred with me on this, that the ‘kung-fu’ character was an extension of that breakdown he had.” 

In the conversation, he also mentioned the massive transformation that McMahon saw in the bodybuilder. One wouldn’t ever imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s close friend to be the way he was. 

He was bald in a Kung-fu gimmick, which even made some people believe it wasn’t Superstar Billy Graham. All in all Graham was a larger than life star and could’ve been even bigger had Vince McMahon been around during his peak.

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So, what do you make of this unheard story from Graham’s past? Share your thoughts in the comments below.